Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you fears God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
All Commentaries on Acts 13:26 Go To Acts 13
John Chrysostom
AD 407
For since they were possessed by fear, as having slain Him, and conscience made them aliens (the Apostles), discourse not with them as unto Christicides, neither as putting into their hands a good which was not theirs, but one peculiarly their own. (d) For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers: as much as to say, not you, but they: and again, apologizing even for those, Because they knew Him not, and the voices of the Prophets which are read every sabbath day, in condemning Him, they fulfilled them. A great charge it is against them that they continually hearing heeded not. But no marvel: for what was said above concerning Egypt and the wilderness, was enough to show their ingratitude. And observe how this Apostle also, as one moved by the Spirit Himself, continually preaches the Passion, the Burial. (g) Having taken Him down from the tree. Observe, what a great point they make of this. He speaks of the manner of His death. Moreover they bring Pilate (conspicuously) forward, that (the fact of) the Passion may be proved by the mention of the tribunal (by which he was condemned), but at the same time, for the greater impeachment of those (His crucifiers), seeing they delivered Him up to an alien. And he does not say, They made a complaint (against Him), (ἐ νέτυχον, al. ἐ ντυγχάνει) but, They desired, though having found no cause of death (in Him), that He should be slain. (e) Who appeared, he says, for many days to them that came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. Romans 11:2 Instead of ** he says, Who are His witnesses unto the people, to wit, The men which came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. Then he produces David and Esaias bearing witness. The faithful (mercies), the abiding (mercies), those which never perish. (h) Paul loved them exceedingly. And observe, he does not enlarge on the ingratitude of the fathers, but puts before them what they must fear. For Stephen indeed with good reason does this, seeing he was about to be put to death, not teaching them; and showing them, that the Law is even now on the point of being abolished: Acts 7 but not so Paul; he does but threaten and put them in fear. (f) And he does not dwell long on these, as taking it for granted that the word is of course believed; nor enlarge upon the greatness of their punishment, and assail that which they affectionately love, by showing the Law about to be cast out: but dwells upon that which is for their good (telling them), that great shall be the blessings for them being obedient, and great the evils being disobedient.
But let us look over again what has been said. You men of Israel, etc.
